Structural basis for the regulatory interactions of proapoptotic Par-4

Cell Death Differ. 2017 Sep;24(9):1540-1547. doi: 10.1038/cdd.2017.76. Epub 2017 Jun 16.

Abstract

Par-4 is a unique proapoptotic protein with the ability to induce apoptosis selectively in cancer cells. The X-ray crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of Par-4 (Par-4CC), which regulates its apoptotic function, was obtained by MAD phasing. Par-4 homodimerizes by forming a parallel coiled-coil structure. The N-terminal half of Par-4CC contains the homodimerization subdomain. This structure includes a nuclear export signal (Par-4NES) sequence, which is masked upon dimerization indicating a potential mechanism for nuclear localization. The heteromeric-interaction models specifically showed that charge interaction is an important factor in the stability of heteromers of the C-terminal leucine zipper subdomain of Par-4 (Par-4LZ). These heteromer models also displayed NES masking capacity and therefore the ability to influence intracellular localization.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Multimerization

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • prostate apoptosis response-4 protein